1.Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sludge suction apparatus for an offshore structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to a sludge suction apparatus for an offshore structure, in which the sludge suction apparatus has no suction valve fixing unit, so that the manufacturing cost thereof can be reduced, and the sludge suction apparatus is easily assembled and disassembled so that stability and workability can be improved and operation efficiency thereof can be enhanced.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a sludge suction apparatus for an offshore structure is used in the chemical industrial field, the construction industrial field and the offshore plant field to supply a great amount of sludge or mud under high pressure for a long period of time. The sludge suction apparatus is very expensive, so the maintenance and repair work must be frequently performed with respect to the sludge suction apparatus. Recently, various apparatuses and methods have been developed in order to improve productivity in the industrial field while reducing assembling and disassembling time in the repair work.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a sludge suction apparatus for an offshore structure according to the related art.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional sludge suction apparatus includes a valve body 110 having a suction hole 114 for receiving sludge and an exhaust hole 112 for exhausting the sludge, a suction valve 120 installed in the valve body 110 coaxially with the suction hole 114 to suck the sludge, and a piston assembly 170 for operating the suction valve 120 and an exhaust valve 130 through the reciprocation movement of a piston 172.
In addition, the conventional sludge suction apparatus includes a cage 122 installed in the valve body 110 to fix the suction valve 120 and the exhaust valve 130, which exhausts the sludge sucked by the suction valve 120 to the outside, a yoke 140 for supporting one end of the cage 122 to completely close an installation hole 116 formed at one side of the valve body 110 to install the suction valve 120, a yoke fixing member 150 for supporting the yoke 140 to prevent the yoke 140 from being pushed rearward due to variation of internal pressure of the valve body 110, and a fixing ring 160 for fixing the yoke fixing member 150 to the valve body 110 while preventing leakage of internal pressure of the valve body 110.
According to the conventional sludge suction apparatus having the above structure, the installation hole 116 must be formed at one side of the valve body 110 in order to install the suction valve 120 and the cage 122, which supports an upper end of the suction valve 120, in the valve body 110. In addition, the yoke 140, the yoke fixing member 150 and the fixing ring 160 must be provided to prevent the leakage of internal pressure of the valve body 110 by sealing the installation hole 116 when the suction valve 120 and the cage 122 have been installed. Thus, the manufacturing cost for the conventional sludge suction apparatus is increased and the assembling and disassembling time is increased.
In addition, as time goes by, the yoke 140 inserted into the installation hole 116 is worn or corroded, so the internal pressure of the valve body 110 leaked and supporting force of the cage 122 is weakened, thereby significantly degrading the suction efficiency for the sludge.
Further, if the internal pressure of the valve body 110 is lowered below critical pressure due to pressure leakage, the sludge suction apparatus may not be used for a long period of time and the suction valve 120 and the exhaust valve 130 may malfunction, so that the cost to maintain and repair the sludge suction apparatus may be increased.